Riveting apparatus



Feb. 1, 1944. H. MORTL RIVETZING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 28, 1941 5- Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

YJIIIIIIII' Feb. 1, 1944. -H mm 2,340,552

RIVETING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W Wir Feb. 1-; 1944.

H. MORTL RIVETING. APPARATUS Filed Jan. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet s In ventor Feb. 1, 1944.

H. MQR L 2,340,552

RIVETING APPARATUS I Filed Jan. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 //7 van for:

//7 vehtor: 52 WJf' Z Patented Feb. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE G APPARATUS Hubert Mfirtl, Regensburg, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application January 28, 1941, Serial No. 376,385 In Germany October 21, 1939' *2 Claims. (01'. 78-48) ping members through apipe terminating on 1 that side of the work pieces to be riveted where the rivet stamp is arranged, i. e., on the side facing away from the holding-up hammer. In this case, the space between the stamp and the holding-up hammer has to be cleared by the work pieces each time for transferring a rivet from the feed p pe to the rinning members. It follows that the work pieces to be riveted have to be withdrawn each time a rivet has been closed, for introduction of the next rivet into the gripping members. This operation, while being time-wasting already with small work pieces, is unpracticable for large work pieces, such as those, for instance, occurring in aircraft construction.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide means for avoiding this drawback of the known apparatus.

According to the invention, the-rivet feeding pipe is connected to the holding-up hammer part of the riveting apparatus, in such a manner that the rivets in their travel to the gripping members need not "be passed. through the space between the stamp part and the holding-up hammer. Thus, the workpieces occupying this space need not be removed after each riveting operation, but have to be moved merely from the finished rivet to the next bore.

According to a further important feature of the invention, the rivet feeding pipe is connected to the casing for the. holding-11p hammer on that side of the rivet gripping members which faces away from the work pieces. This particular ar-' rangement permits the remaining conveyance of the-rivets into the rivet gripping members to be effected by the holding-up hammer which pushes the rivets between the ipp members or ppers. This affords a considerable simplification in the construction and operation of the apparatus. avoiding intricate positive control of the ripping members.

Th invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings showing by way of'example and purely schemati cally a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of a riveting apparatus having the-in vention applied thereto. 1

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the upper portion of the holding-up hammer including the connection with the end of the rivet feeding pipe, on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 .is a fragmentary axial section through the holding-up hammer part on a plane-atright angles to the plane of Fig. 2, the head cup and a rivet shown in their positions taken up immediately after the rivet has been passed from the rivet feeding pipe into the casing for the head cup. 3

Fig. 4 :is a section similar to Fig.3, but with the head cup and rivet in their-positions im, mediately after introduction of the rivet between the gripping, members.

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Figs.,3 and 4, but

showing the head cup and the rivet in their positions after the-rivet has been pushed right through its bore. I

Similar characters of reference denote similar parts in the different figures. I I

Referring now to the drawings ingreater de. tail, and first to Fig. 1, it will be seen that a frame I for the riveting apparatus, which is only roughly indicated, comprises two main parts, i. e., the stamp part I including the stamp 2 and the holding-down member 3, and the part II, including the holding-up hammer'or head cup 6 which is slidably mounted in the bore of an exteriorly threaded spindle-shaped member 4. In its raised position thehead-cup 6 serves as a support for the rivet while the stamp 2 is producing the closinghead thereof. This, of course, is the normal function of the head cup in riveting, but according to the present inventionthe head cup-also performs various other functions which will be hereinafter described.

The head cup 6 is operated by means of a dee vice consisting of a wedge member 8, a compressed air cylinder Sand a piston l0 slidable in thecylinder and connected with the wedge member the cylinder 9, through pipe l2, the piston [0 with the wedge member 8 can be moved to the right, against "action of a helical spring I l serv-- i g to return the piston in with the wedge memcook 16, is adapted to communicate with the rivet feeding pipe 20. Further, a pipe l9 connects cock IS with the branch 30 of a rivet supply or magazine l1 which receives the rivets through a branch l1, a pair of rotary brushes serving to assort the rivets by sweeping-them into a suitable slot 3| in the cylindrical drum l1 .plug 32 of cock l6, through pipe 20, into the space 2| within casing 21, Fig. 2. The rivet thereby comes to lie upon the upper end face of head cup 6, as shown in Fig. 3. Now, the operating lever l3 of cock I3 is again moved into position A, thereby establishing communication between cylinder 9 and the supply of compressed air connected .to pipe. Under action of the compressed air'brought to bearrupon piston I0 through pipe 14, cock l3 and. pipe I2, the piston 1 is moved to the right, against action of sprin and, from this slot, into branch 30, with their heads up. 'I'he plug 32 of the change-over cock I6 is provided with a cross channel 33 which conforms to the shape of the rivets. In one end position of the plug 32, shown in Fig. 1, this cros channel 33 is disposed vertical for receptron of a rivet dropping through pipe l9, while in its position turned through 90, corresponding to 'position' B of lever l3, the cross channel 33 is horizontally disposed for establishing connectioii' between pipes l5 and 23. As best seen from Fig. '2; showing the upper end of pipe and its connection to the upper part of the part II, the rivets through pipe 20 reach the inner space 2| offthe guide member 21 for the head cup 5. The guide member 21 also serves for sup-porting the nipper device for the rivets, which includestwo jaws or gripping members 22 acting like tongs and" being controlledby three-armed levers 26 engaging the jaws 22 by their upper arms 26" and fulcrumed'in the member 21'by meansof pivots 25. The member 21 with the levers 26 by means ofits' lower sleeve portion 21' is mopnted to slide on a member 28 which is screwed to the top endof spindle 4 and in its central bore receives the lower thickened portion of head cup 6. Downwardsliding of member 21 is'caused by-the stamp part 2, 3 of the riveting apparatus, againstactionof a helical return spring'23 supported on member 28 and leaning at its upper end against a flange spring plate 24 which in turn engages the lower arms 26' of lever 26. The. whole mechanism is enclosed in a surrounding sleeve 34 screwed to an exterior thread of member 28. r

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: During the riveting operation, i. e., during formation of the closing head by means of'the rivet stamp 2, the operating lever l3 of cock I3 is in position A, asshown in Fig. 1, and the operating lever l6 of cock l6, positively coupled to lever l3 by a coupling rod 35, is in a position aligning the cross bore 33 of the plug 32 with pipe H), for reception of a rivet falling down therethrough. After the riveting operation has been finished, the rivet stamp 2 and the holding-down member 3 are raised and the lever l3 of cock I3 is moved into its position B, whereby the. plug 32 of cock I6 is also moved into its other end position for interconnecting pipes I5 and 20 and shutting off the lower end of pipe 19. In position B of cock [3 the com-- pressed air contained in cylinder 9 from the preceding operation is allowed to flow into pipe l5, through pipe l2, thereby conveying the rivet in ll, taking along the wedge member 8. The lower endof head cup 6 which at the beginning of this movement had been engaged on the front tip'of the wedge, under action of helical spring 1,'now slides upwards on the inclined face of the wedge, whereby the rivet lying on the upper end of the head cup is raised and pushed between the jaws 22 which by the rivet shaft are spread correspondingly, against the action of spring 23, this action being transmitted upon the jaws 22 through arms 26' and 26" of threearmed lever 26. The rivet forced between the jaws 22 is thus safely held in its upright positionfpro'truding from the upper surface 21" of member 21 which serves as a support for the work pieces 35, 31 to be riveted. This permits the bores in the work pieces'to be readily en gaged'over the rivet, so that the work pieces are secured in position for the riveting operation.

As best seen from Fig. 4, the lower end of head cup 6 in the upper position thereof has passed from the inclined surface of wedge 8 toits'upper horizontal face. It follows that no reaction pressure is transmitted from head-cup 6 to piston ID, the driving system thus being sen-10cm ing in this position and enabled'to receive 'considerable forces acting upon the head cup in the riveting operation, without any yielding.

Continuing the riveting process,"th'e holdingdown member 3 engages the work pieces 36,31 to be riveted, depressing them jointly with the member 21,the claws 22 and the three-armed lever 23, against action of the helical spring"23.

In this phase of the operation, the head' cup'B is maintained in a static relation on the horizontal top face of wedgemenibert, so :that a relative motion of 'the three-armed levers 26 is caused with respect to the head cup. By this relative motion the inner arms 26"'of levers 26 are swung 'outwardsfby the conical collar 6 of head cup 6, against action of springs 23, which also causes outward swinging of the upwardly directed arms 26" of levers-26. The jaws 22 therefore release the rivet clamped 'between them, so that the sheets 36, 31 under 'def pressing action of the holding-down member 3 of the stamp part engage the countersunk head of the rivet which is countersunk intothe sheets as shown in Fig, 5. t

' The rivet stamp 2 now makes the closinghea'd of the rivet, opposed by the head cup which with its lower end is still bearing on the horizontal surface of wedge 8 in self-locking relation. The closing head being finished,'lever I3 is again moved from position A to position B, for discharging the compressed air from cylinder 9. Piston I!) with its wedge member 8 therefore is moved leftward, under action of spring I I and the head cup 6 is allowed to go down, sliding'downwards on the incline of wedge member 8. The apparatus tis now ready for anothercycle of riveting operalOIlS.

In order to make the head-cap part II to con-- form to theshape ofthe-work'pi'eces to be riv-- eted, the same is provided for raising and lowering in the frame I by screwing the nuts and 5' on spindle 4. To this end, the upper nut 5 is provided with a hand wheel while the lower nut 5" is provided with spokes. Further, the pipes 52 and 20 are made flexible or provided with flexible'portions, for connection to a stationary rivet magazine H; or the rivet magazine may be connected with the part II through rigid pipes, for vertical adjustment jointly with the head cup system.

The method and apparatus of the present invention have been described in detail with referenc to specific embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that-the invention is not limited by such specific reference but is broader in scope and capable of other embodiments than those specifically described and illustrated in the drawings.

I claim:

1. In a. riveting apparatus, a rivet supply, a rivet stamp system including a holding-down member, a holding-up hammer system including means for tightly gripping each rivet in position before the riveting operation, and pipe means for automatically conveying the rivets tothe holdingup hammer by compressed gas, said pipe means being connected to the holding-up hammer system at that side of the gripping means whichfaces away from the work pieces, the holdingup hammer system moreover including compressed gas-operated cylinder and piston means for imparting controlled axial motions to the holdingup hammer for forcing the rivets into the gripping means, and further means for supplying the rivet conveying means with the compressed gas discharged from said cylinder, said further means comprising a change-over cock provided inthe rivet conveying pipe and connected by three sepa rate branches with the rivet supply, with the compressed gas cylinder and with the holdingup hammer, respectively, said cock including a plug having a cross bore which in one end position communicates with the rivet supply for reception of a rivet therefrom while in its other end position it connects the compressed gas cylinder with the branch to the holding-up hammer, whereby the rivet in the cross bore by means of the compressed gas from the compressed gas cylinder is conveyed to the holding-up hammer.

2. In a riveting apparatus, a rivet supply, a rivet stamp system including a holding-down member, a holding-up hammer system including means for tightly gripping each rivet in position before the riveting operation, and pipe means for automatically conveying the rivets to the holding-up hammer by compressed gas, said pipe means being connected to the holding-up hammer system at that side of the gripping means which faces away from the work pieces, the holding-up hammer system moreover including compressed gas-operat'ed cylinder and piston means for imparting controlled axial motions to the holding-up hammer for forcing the rivets into the gripping means, and further means for supplying the rivet conveying means with the compressed gas discharged from said cylinder, said further means comprising a change-over cock provided in the rivet conveying pipe and connected by three separate branches with the rivet supply, with the compressed gas cylinder and with the holding-up hammer, respectively, said cock including a plug having a cross bore which in one end position communicates with the rivet supply for reception of a rivet therefrom while in its other end position it connects the compressed gas cylinder with the branch t'o'the holdin up hammer, whereby the rivet in the cross bore by means of the compressed gas. from the, comestablish communication betweenothe cylinder:

and the cylinder branch. of the first cock in the other position of the second cock.

3.111 an apparatus for riveting perforated work pieces, a rivet stamp system, a holding-up anvil system including an axially movable anvil; and axially movablegripping means for tightly gripping and holding each rivet protruding from the upper surface of said anvil system and adapted to serve as a pilot pin for centering the corresponding hole of. the work pieces, Said gripping means including a set. of grippers, a. set of two-armed levers, one lever for each gripper, and moreover spring means actin parallelly withthe riveting axis on one arm of eachof said twoarmed levers, the other arms of which engage the respective grippers, and tending to hold the set of grippers in the shut position, the center of the set of grippers remaining in the riveting axis during the whole cycle of operations, and means for feeding the rivets to said anvil system beneath said set of grippers, theanvil being adapted to force the rivets by axial movement into the set of grippers and beingprovided with av cam;

4. In an apparatus for riveting perforated work pieces, a rivet stamp system, a holding-up anvil system including an axially movable anvil and axially movable gripping means for tightly gripping and holding each rivet protruding from the upper surface of said anvil system and adapted to serve as a pilot pin for centering the corresponding hole of the work pieces, said gripping means including a set of grippers, a set of two-armed levers, one lever for each gripper, and moveover spring means acting parallelly with the riveting axis on one arm of each of said twoarmed levers, the other arms of which engage the respective grippers, and tending to hold the set of grippers in the shut position, the center of the set of grippers remaining in the riveting axis during the whole cycle of operations, and means for feeding the rivets to said anvil system beneath said set of grippers, the anvil system including moreover a wedge member-adapted to advance the anvil towards the grippers and thereby causing the anvil to force the rivets into the set of grippers by cooperation of an incline on the wedge member with the rear end of the anvil and further adapted to maintain the anvil in its advanced position for the riveting operation by cooperation of a surface on the wedge member which is normal to the line of the anvil motion, with the rear end of the anvil and the anvil being provided with a cam surface engaged by said two-armed levers when the gripping means move downward and causing the set of grippers to be opened.

5. In an apparatus for riveting perforated work pieces, a rivet stamp system, a holding-up anvil system including an axially movable anvil and axially movable gripping means for tightly gripping and holding-each rivet protruding from the upper surface of said anvil system and adapted to serve as a pilot pin for centering the corresponding hole of the work pieces, said gripping means including a set of grippers, a set of two-armed levers, one lever for each gripper, and moreover spring means acting parallelly with the riveting axis on one arm of each of said twoarmed levers, the other arms of which engage the respective grippers, and tending to hold the set of grippers in the shut position, the center of the set of grippers remaining in theriveting axis during the whole cycle of operations, and means for feeding the rivets to said anvil system beneath said set of grippers, the anvil system including moreover a wedge member adapted to advance the anvil towards the grippers and thereby causing the anvil to force the rivets into the set of grippers by cooperation of an incline on the wedge member with the rear end of the anvil and further adapted to maintain the anvil in its advanced position for the riveting operation by cooperation of a surface on the wedge member which is normal to the line of the anvil motion, with the rear end of the anviljthe anvil system also including compressed gas-operated cylinder and piston means for driving said wedge member, andthe anvil being provided with a cam surface engaged by said two-armed levers when the gripping means move downward and causing the set of grippers to be opened.

- 6. In an apparatus for riveting perforated work pieces, a rivet stamp system, a holding-up anvil system arranged beneath said stamp system and including an axially movable anvil and means for tightly gripping and holding each rivet protruding from the upper surface of said anvil system and adapted to serve as a pilot pin for centering the corresponding hole of the work pieces and pipe means for automatically conveying the rivets from the rivet supply to the anvil system by compressed gas, the pipe means including sluice means for carrying the rivets from that part of the pipe'means which is connected with the rivet supply to the part carrying the compressed gas. 7. In an apparatus for riveting perforated work pieces, a rivet stamp system, a holding-up anvil system arranged beneath said stamp system and including an axially movableanvil and means for tightly gripping and holding each rivet protruding from the upper surface of said anvil system and adapted to serve as a pilot pin for centerin the corresponding hole of the work pieces, and including an anvil adapted to force the rivets into the gripping means, actuating means for imparting controlled axial motions to the anvil for forcing the rivets into said gripping means, said actuating means including compressed gasoperated cylinder and piston means, a rivet supply, pipe means for automatically conveying the rivets from the rivet supply to the anvil system by compressed gas, the pipe means including sluice means for carrying the rivets from that part of the pipe means which is connected with the rivet supply to the part leading the compressed gas, and further means for supplying the rivet-conveying pipe means with the compressed gas discharged from said cylinder.

HUBERT MCSRTL. 

